Majestic Sports Bar assistant manager appears in court

Somemay say the public outcry over the death of a 24-year-old college student at MajesticSports Bar helped motivate authorities to seek charges against theestablishment.

Investigatorstestified Friday when they began to look into the bar's business practices theynoticed they were operating without a license to sell alcohol, known as an ABC card,and allowing underage patrons to enter.

Theowner James Weaver posted bond and did not have to appear in court Friday.

However,the man Weaver claims to be the assistant manager, Nathaniel Smith, pled notguilty to nine counts of letting minors into the bar and operating without an ABCcard.

Allare claims Smith denies.

"I did a scan quicklyand found out there were a couple of ABC cards that were current in the wholeclub," Smith said. "There was nine people involved that night that were eithershot or gave statements as witnesses of the shooting that were under the age of21."

Severalof the underage witnesses were in court Friday morning. They all denied giving Smithmoney or even seeing him in the bar that night… except one that testifies shesaw Smith sitting in a chair by the door.

Smithdenies being at the club when the shooting occurred and says he only went thereafter the fact to collect money.